Lower Farm Health Centre

Updated 2 October 2018

Dr Hammad Lodhi is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as a single-handed provider operating two GP practices in Walsall, West Midlands. The practice is part of the NHS Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group. The practice holds a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with NHS England. A GMS contract is a contract between NHS England and general practices for delivering general medical services and is the commonest form of GP contract.

The practice operates from Lower Farm Health Centre, 109 Buxton Road, Walsall, West Midlands, WS3 3RT.

There are approximately 1,772 patients of various ages registered and cared for at the practice. Demographically the practice has a lower than average patient population aged under 18 years, with 15% falling into this category, compared with the CCG average of 24% and England average of 21%. Twenty-four per cent of the practice population is above 65 years which is considerably higher than the CCG average of 16% and the national average of 17%. The percentage of patients with a long-standing health condition is 57% which was in line with the local CCG average of 56% and national average of 54%.

The staffing consists of:

• One male principle GP (seven sessions) and one female long-term locum GP (two sessions).
• A part time practice pharmacist.
• A part time female nurse practitioner.
• A female part time health care assistant.
• A management team which included a practice manager, assistant practice manager, practice administrators and reception staff.

The practice is open every day from 8.30am until 6pm, except Thursday when it closes at 1pm. The telephone lines are open from 8.30am to 12.30pm, and 3.30pm until 5.30pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday and from 8.30am until 13:30pm on Thursday. When the telephones are not answered by practice staff during core hours (8am to 8.30am, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, 5.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday, and 8am to 8.30am and 12.30pm to 6.30pm Thursday), WALDOC provides a call handling service. In the out of hours period between 6.30pm and 8.30am on weekdays and all weekends and bank holidays the service is provided through the NHS 111 service.

GP consultation times are between 9am and 12 noon Monday to Friday, and 3pm and 6pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday. Nurse practitioner appointments are available between 3.30pm and 5pm on Monday, 9am to 5pm on Wednesday and 9.30am to 5pm on Friday. Health care assistant appointments are available between 9am and 12.30pm on Tuesday and 9am to 5pm on Wednesday and Friday.

The practice offers a range of services for example: management of long-term conditions, child development checks and childhood immunisations, contraceptive and sexual health advice. Further details can be found by accessing the practice’s website at www.ambarmedical-lowerfarm.nhs.uk

Updated 2 October 2018

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating July 2017 – Requires Improvement)

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We previously undertook a comprehensive inspection of Lower Farm Health Centre on 31 July 2017. The overall rating for the practice was Requires Improvement with the Caring and Responsive domains being rated as Requires Improvement. This was because the GP Survey results for the practice were lower than the local and national average, and the number of patients attending breast screening within six months of invitation was low.

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Lower Farm Health Centre on 4 September 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
• The practice had systems to keep patients safe and safeguarding from the risk of abuse. The practice maintained registered of children and adults assessed as vulnerable and their care was discussed at the monthly practice meetings.
• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
• The practice had a strategy for monitoring patients with long term conditions, which ensured all patients were offered an annual structured review.
• Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
• The practice had introduced a new telephone system, which enabled the volume of calls to be monitored as well as the number of calls waiting.
• The practice had introduced a triage system for patients requesting a home visit or urgent appointment.
• Patients told us they could usually get an appointment when they needed one.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Continue to identify and offer support to carers.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

Updated 2 October 2018

Updated 2 October 2018

Updated 2 October 2018

Updated 2 October 2018

Updated 2 October 2018

Updated 2 October 2018